Starting Over with the Sand Reset Poké-Power

Before getting into how to take advantage of the Sand Reset Poké-Power on Hippowdon LV.X (107/111), let's make sure we know everything it does and doesn't do! Sand Reset will shuffle back into both players' decks any cards attached to their Pokémon (Energy, Pokémon Tools, Technical Machines, etc.) and the Stadium card in play. Pokémon will remain, and all the damage on them will remain as well. Also, any Supporter cards will stay, so you can't use this power to get a second Supporter on your turn!

Building Pokémon in the Sand
We need to build up to Hippowdon LV.X, so let's start with Hippopotas (64/111). Its 70 HP should keep it out long enough to get evolved, and its Push Down attack can keep your opponent off balance. Next, we arrive at its Stage 1 evolution: Hippowdon. It's important to note that Hippowdon (42/111) can't evolve from Hippopotas, but, more importantly, it can't Level-Up to Hippowdon LV.X! (Remember, Hippowdon is different from Hippowdon.) This leads us to the Hippowdon (25/111) we need. Its Sand Cover Poké-Body is handy when facing opposing Pokémon LV.X, but the Save Sand attack is its strong point. Since Sand Reset will clear out all your Energy, you'll want to get extra Energy any way you can. Its Groundquake attack is a heavy hitter; just make sure you're not on the losing end of it if you use it, since it hits not only your opponent's Benched Evolved Pokémon, but also your own! Finally, Hippowdon LV.X has its Double Shoot attack, which can hit the opposing Bench with some serious damage.

The Supporting Cast
Timing your one Sand Reset per game is a tricky thing to do. The main thing is to make sure you are ready for it. This primarily means having enough Energy to recover quickly and being able to take advantage of this Energy. Snorlax's (33/111) Pick and Collect is a great no-cost attack for getting your hand full of Energy quickly. Plus, Sand Reset can be used from the Bench, so you can fire it off while Snorlax gets the cards you'll need afterward.

Another great choice for card recovery is Leafeon (45/111). Not only does its Energy Refresh Poké-Body heal your Pokémon, its Plus Energy attack lets you get the Energy out there quicker! And Leafeon covers Hippowdon's Weakness to Water-type Pokémon. Even better, Eevee (59/111) has its no-cost Signs of Evolution attack, which lets you search your deck for Leafeon to make sure your evolution happens without fail. Another great trick is to make sure you retreat Hippowdon LV.X a turn or two before you decide to Sand Reset, as that should put some Fighting Energy in your discard pile to pick up with Hippowdon's Save Sand. Ideal conditions for Sand Reset include your opponent having only a few cards in his or her hand and having a small number of Pokémon in play; this makes sure you're going to have the advantage once the sand clears!

A New Beginning
From here, you've got a solid base for a tricky deck. Put in some of your favorite Pokémon, and check out the Fighting- and Grass-type Pokémon SP in Platinum—Rising Rivals. They all combine well in this deck and let you use handy Supporters like Aaron's Collection (88/111), Bertha's Warmth (90/111), and Flint's Willpower (91/111).